Soulmates: The leafy branch
by glockcourage
Summary: Summary: A story of love and possible betrayal and soulmates and family...Possible betrayal?...A/N: Part 2.5 of the Soulmates, a Naruto-Nodame Cantabile crossover fic.


A/N: This is part 2.5 of my _**Soulmate**_ fic. For it to make sense, read the Soulmate fic first okay. You can find it in the crossover section. It's for Shikatema and Nodame shippers. I'm supposed to write _The Sharp Twig_ for Nodame Cantabile...

Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto

**Soulmates: The Leafy Branch**

"It's not as if they are going anywhere else," Shikamaru addresses the back of the woman walking ahead of him, as he admires the play of muscle from her waist down. With the yukata draping dependably on her backside, Shikamaru can't help but stare a bit lower than necessary.

"This is still a Class A mission," snaps the blond kunoichi. She strides faster in order to shorten her distance from the couple they are guarding.

"Tch. Nobody would dare kidnap those musicians especially the pianist," Shikamaru mentions laconically. Still walking sedately, Shikamaru then raises both his hands to support the back his head as he glances towards the sky. Temari is bound to look back at him and he doesn't want to get caught staring. That would be painful as experience has already taught him.

"Somebody might kidnap somebody, most especially the pianist." Temari swivels her head and notices that the distance between her and Shikamaru is increasing. Impatiently, she hollers, "Ass, better hurry!"

"Anybody who kidnaps the pianist would return her soon enough," Shikamaru mutters before giving Temari a grimace. "Didn't you notice how quirky she is?"

Temari, with malicious mirth dancing in her eyes, quips, "That's almost the same as saying how weird you are. She is your soulmate after all."

Shikamaru gives Temari a narrow-eyed look before taking a brisker walk. Once he has reached her side, he declares, "Keep saying that, and I'll believe you are jealous."

"Jealous? Me? It will never happen, crybaby," the blond woman proclaims confidently.

-o0o-

_Five years later..._

"I'm home," Shikamaru announces from the foyer as he reaches for his indoor slippers to replace his outdoor sandals.

"Daddy's here!" shouts a young female voice then tiny footsteps are heard before the wall divider, that separates the foyer from the rest of the house, finally reveals Shikari. The almost three year old, blonde girl with four pigtails; jumps and launches herself at her father.

Already used to this routine; Shikamaru catches his daughter before she could hurt herself by colliding with his harder frame. Raising his daughter up in the air by holding her under the armpits, Shikamaru asks while looking her in the eye, "Did you behave yourself today?"

The child nods her head vigorously, boasting, "You can ask grandma. She said I'm a jewel today...that means I behaved well?"

"Yeah, it means you behaved well." Shikamaru then bends down to be able to gently drop Shikari on the floor. "As a prize I bought you this." Shikamaru takes out from his pants back pocket a folded colouring book.

Shikari reaches for her colouring book. She excitedly turns the pages, browsing through it before running in search of her crayons.

"You spoil her," observes the blonde woman leaning on the wall divider, with her arms crossed on her chest.

"I can't help it. I keep seeing the angelic version of her mother in her."

"Give her time." The woman smirks. "She'll stop being cute and would probably kick your ass."

Shikamaru glares at his wife. "My daughter will always be cute to me and when the time comes that she beats me in a fight, I'll be the proudest dad."

"What sentimental drivel? She will always be cute to you?" mocks Temari.

Shikamaru frowns.

"Shikari will become a deadly kunoichi!" Temari declares. "But in order to be, she has to see the harsh realities of life sometime and not always treated with kid gloves."

Shikamaru's frown deepens. "What got into you?" he asks, puzzled by Temari's almost unmotherly like attitude.

"Nothing," Temari snaps.

"Temari?" Shikamaru approaches the woman, trapping her against the wall by raising both his hands and placing them on each side of her head. Temari pushes him off her but he wouldn't budge. Their faces only inches away from each other, with Shikamaru's eyes expressing his puzzlement while Temari's remains defiant.

Temari glowers at the man towering over her. "Okay, fine! You used to search for me the first thing you arrive home. Now, you don't even care if I'm home or not. You used to say _'Oh God you're beautiful, Temari!'_ Now, you don't look at me anymore. What? Did I become ugly or something?"

Shikamaru slowly gives a soft chuckle before saying seriously, clasping Temari's face between his two hands, "I don't say it out loud but I'm always thinking it—that my wife is the most beautiful, hottest badass kunoichi in Konoha and Suna combined. And seeing you scowl, laugh or spitting fire is what I look forward to each day...And believe me, I always know when you're not home yet; the space next to where I put my sandals is empty. It is the first thing I check every time I arrive back home."

"So my daughter will always be cute in your eyes whereas I will always remain beautiful?" Temari's frown disappears, shrugging, she concludes, "Sounds fair," as she removes Shikamaru's hands on her face.

"Did you just admit you were jealous of your own daughter?"

"I did no such thing!"

Shikamaru grins. "You just did."

-o0o-

~5/30/11AF~


End file.
